Donald Trump is known for not holding back his thoughts regardless of what the ramifications might be to his remarks. In his most recent post on Twitter, the president elaborated on why he uses social media at the rate that he does.
Trump on Twitter
After Donald Trump announced his plan to run for president back in the summer of 2015, his speech received criticism from the majority of the mainstream media, mostly due to his comments about illegal immigrants from Mexico being "rapists" and "murderers." As the weeks and months rolled on, Trump clashed with reporters and journalists, often lashing out about news sources that he believed didn't treat his campaign fairly.
In an attempt to bypass the traditional press, the former host of "The Apprentice" took advantage of his growing popularity on Twitter to tweet out his thoughts, often smearing any reports from the media that he didn't like and labeling it "fake news." While Trump has taken time to praise conservative outlets like Fox News, most notably "Fox & Friends," he's also name-dropped others in a negative way, like the New York Times and NBC News. Since his inauguration last January, the president has increased his attacks on the press, which continued during his latest tweet on December 30.
I use Social Media not because I like to, but because it is the only way to fight a VERY dishonest and unfair “press,” now often referred to as Fake News Media. Phony and non-existent “sources” are being used more often than ever. Many stories & reports a pure fiction!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017
Taking to Twitter on Saturday night, Donald Trump explained why his use of social media has increased as he's been in office.
"I use Social Media not because I like to, but because it is the only way to fight a VERY dishonest and unfair 'press,' now often referred to as Fake News Media," he tweeted.
Not stopping there, Donald Trump doubled down on his targeted attack on the media. "Phony and non-existent 'sources' are being used more often than ever," Trump claimed, while concluding, "Many stories & reports a pure fiction!" After one year in office it doesn't appear that the commander in chief and the press will be able to get on the same page at any point in the near future.
Next up
As 2017 comes to an end, the latest polls show Donald Trump's approval rating below 35 percent. With the exception of right-leaning surveys like Rasmussen, the president's approval with the American people is the lowest in recent history despite the constant rhetoric from the White House that says otherwise. Heading into 2018, Trump is not likely to change his tune and it remains to be seen if his numbers improve or his his relationship with the media gets any better.
